Growing Up Digital

The Rise of the Net Generation by Don Tapscott

Team We Forgot- Amanda Terry, Alexandra Phelps, Suzii Huynh, and Hannah Suh

The Demographic Revolution Meets the Digital Revolution

• Baby boomers, born between 1946– 1964, gained influence in media, business, and government policy
• Kids were everywhere and for the first time society saw a youth movement, a youth culture, and concerns of youth became the dominant culture, political, and economic force
• Net Generation, or N-Geners, developed a digital media culture that allowed them to learn, work, play, communicate, shop and create communities in a way very different from their parents
• Youth combined with the digital revolution changed the way children gather, accept and retain information

Media Usage

• N-Geners prefer interactive media (such as the internet) rather than broadcast media (such as television)
  • Broadcast technology is hierarchical; power flows downwards
    • Others people choose what program are broadcast
    • Viewers have limited power over programs shown; only power is to decide to watch or not watch something on t.v.
  • Interactive media is distributed and shared delivery system
    • Allows a distribution of power to viewers that gives them the ability to pick and decide what they like and don't like, able to provide feedback, and fosters a culture of interaction

From Broadcast Learning to Interactive Learning

• Interaction is key! Therefore it only makes sense to use interactive media in learning
• If used correctly Interactive Learning can have a large impact on promoting learning
• Benefits:
  • Learners are able to stop and review things and concepts recorded on video
  • Also able to test and assess themselves throughout various points in a lesson
• Downfalls:
  • Cost of school wide system
  • effort to create courseware
  • huge cultural change in teaching

When watching TV, the learning use to have little control. An improvement was the videotape, which could be viewed somewhat independent of time and location. Today, we have the DVD, Blue Ray, DVR, etc.

For example, the African Virtual University, with campuses in Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, etc., are allowing engineering students to take engineering courses from a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. These courses are videotaped and transmitted via satellite, and in addition, the professor is available by telephone three times per week for extra help.

Modes of greater Interactivity:

• Books: can be scanned, or you can jump ahead or back
• Face-to-Face Lectures: the lecturer can stop, take questions, or hold a discussion
• BUT, interactivity and discovery are still limited because control rests on the presenter, not with the learner.

Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) Software Programs

**At the time the article was written (1998) only uses text, but will soon use graphics, audio, and video

• The user is presented with facts and then asked to recall them or perform some type of operation based on those facts.
• Tutorials are used to cover a broader range of material.
• Games are used to give the learner a more flexible and creative learning environment

Example of an interactive text-based CAI program: was set up by Ron Owston, professor at York University.

• He developed a hypermedia course with two-dozen modules for prospective teachers.
• Each module had a topic description and suggested readings with a link to the original source.
• Electronic seminars were also available where the professor participates as a peer to the students.
• Students submit assignments online and research tools are available to help students conduct investigations and find data.
• Students say that this environment has helped some of the on-line-illiterate students to get on-line.

In 1996, 33 students at Cal State University in Northridge were randomly divided into two groups: one taught in a traditional classroom and one taught virtually on the Web. In the end, the Web-based class scored an average of 20% higher because of their constant contact with one another and more interest in their classwork.

MUD – Multi User Domain

• A place on the Net where users can create their own dramatic adventures in real time.
• MUDs are evolving into virtual meeting places and learning spaces.

Eight Shifts of Interactive Learning

1. From linear to hypermedia learning

in other words: linear vs. non-sequential and interactive learning (think ADD learning)

• ex: watching TV straight with commercials (gasp!) vs. sifting through multiple shows on your DVR and deciding what to watch
• real life: Meet Franny (11), who wants to find information about her pregnant pet hamster (Bupsie)…about her search: ”I don’t like Guinea pigs, but some people in South America eat them and even I don’t want to see a fried one” (learning what to weed out)
  • starts with Yahooligans --> links --> hamster owner pages with text and photographs --> new knowledge tracing baby hamster development

2. From instruction to construction and discovery

in other words: less pedagogy, more discovery

• ex: learning by doing (constructivist approach)…students can build an entire city using Cityspace and don’t even realize they are learning and using math
• It is fun and relevant!

3. From teacher-centered to learner-centered education

in other words: kids are self-centered so let’s use that to get them to learn something

• ex: spend the first week of class getting to know your students (their skills, what technology they have, what they’re good at) *bonus: kids feel important and respected
• CON: requires extensive use of software that can adapt to their needs

4. From absorbing material to learning how to navigate and how to learn

in other words: learning how to learn (are teachers becoming obsolete??)

• ex: reading an instruction manual cover to cover vs. researching multiple resources and synthesizing the information independently

5. From school to life-long learning

• Life for the baby boomers was divided into two periods: 1) You went to school and learned, and 2) You worked and applied what you learned.
• People believed that after finding a job, learning was not necessary or required as long as you were able to “keep up” with new developments specific to your field.
• Today, however, learning is a continual, life-long process.
• With advancements in technology, there has been an explosion of knowledge and information available.
• “People mistakenly think that once they’ve graduated from university they are good for the next decade- when they’re really good for the next ten seconds.”--Richard Soderberg, National Technological University

6. From one-size-fits-all to customized learning

• The industrial economy produced mass education in which teachers teach the same thing to students using the same methods and assessments tools for everyone.
• Pre-digested information guided curriculum development and was focused on optimal transmission rather than student learning or engagement.
• Our world has become more individualized and customized.
• Digital media is flexible and allows students to have customized learning experiences by taking into consideration their background, age, learning style, interpersonal preferences, and talents.

7. From learning as torture to learning as fun

• Students do not usually consider going to school the most exciting part of their day.
• Some educators believe that learning and entertainment cannot be combined and should be clearly separated instead.
• In addition, some teachers believe that if learning is fun, it cannot be challenging. This is simply not true.
• Often, video games have numerous levels that are incredibly challenging to get through. This challenge is the source of the entertainment.
• Teachers should strive to make learning fun for their students and digital media provides teachers with countless opportunities to do so.

8. From the teacher as transmitter to the teacher as facilitator

• Rather than having students sit quietly as they listen to their teacher talk endlessly, learning has become a much more social and interactive process where teachers serve as facilitators instead of transmitters.
• Students construct their own knowledge and more importantly, they develop collaborative, research, analytical, presentation, and resourcing skills.

Conclusion

• The baby boomer generation of teachers has many new tools, approaches, and skills to learn and acquire.
• This will indeed be a challenge because of teachers’ resistance to change, cutbacks, reduced budgets for training, low teacher morale, and lack of time due to increased workloads.

Google Doc Questions

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dENDbXpiV094SVc4SDJYQTRRUWxuWWc6MQ

Resources

Tapscott, D. (1998). Growing up digital: The rise of the net generation. McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from: http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/jan98/feat_6/digital.html